This sparkling, cultured mocktail is filled to the brim with wild summer flavors – fresh mint, ripe blackberries and a spicy-sweet ginger syrup. The bubbliness comes from mineral water and your choice of kombucha or water kefir – fermented beverages that you can easily make at home!

With mint overflowing in a pot on the deck and plenty of kombucha in the fridge, I started making mock classic mojitos to beat the Georgia heat – lime, mint, coconut sugar and kombucha.

But I was craving the addition of ginger so I made a mildly spicy simple syrup using the root and coconut sugar. It was delicious!

Bonus: candied ginger! Did you know that once you make ginger simple syrup, you are one step away from candied ginger? Once you strain the syrup, simply dehydrate the ginger (or bake at a very low temperature). Get step-by-step photos and directions here.

Blackberry Ginger Kombucha Mock-ito

This sparkling, cultured mocktail is filled to the brim with wild summer flavors – fresh mint, ripe blackberries and a spicy-sweet ginger syrup. The bubbliness comes from mineral water and your choice of kombucha or water kefir – fermented beverages that you can easily make at home!

Ingredients:

2-3 teaspoons ginger simple syrup (below)

1/2 lime, juiced (about 1.5 tablespoons juice)

5 mint leaves

5 blackberries

1/2 cup kombucha

1/4-1/2 cup sparkling mineral or soda water

Ice to fill the glass

Directions:

1. Pour the ginger simple syrup and lime juice into a glass. Add the mint leaves and muddle with a wooden spoon to release the oils.

2. Add 2 of the blackberries and muddle some more.

3. Add the kombucha and sparkling water. Fill the cup with ice and the remaining blackberries.

4. Stir and enjoy!

Ginger Simple Syrup

This spicy-sweet syrup is great in drinks or as a topping for yogurt or ice cream! Makes enough for 2-3 Mock-itos (up to 1/4 cup syrup). Keep refrigerated for up to one month.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup thinly sliced ginger

1/3 cup coconut sugar or sucanat

1/3 cup water

1. Combine the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer, stirring as the sugar melts. Continue simmering uncovered, stirring occasionally until the volume of liquid reduces by about half. Strain the ginger and cool the syrup to room temp.

This spicy-sweet syrup is great in drinks or as a topping for yogurt or ice cream! Makes enough for 2-3 Mock-itos (up to ¼ cup syrup). Keep refrigerated for up to one month.

Ingredients

¼ cup thinly sliced ginger

⅓ cup coconut sugar or sucanat

⅓ cup water

Instructions

Combine the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer, stirring as the sugar melts. Continue simmering uncovered, stirring occasionally until the volume of liquid reduces by about half. Strain the ginger and cool the syrup to room temp.

This treat is simple to make, and so refreshing! It’s also a great way to re-purpose leftover lemonade into a delicious new treat. It only takes 3 ingredients – frozen mangos, lemonade, and a handful of ice. And what is better on a warm spring or summer day than sitting on the porch with a cold drink?

Of course, ice cold lemonade is the perfect solution to cool you off. Many of us are familiar with frozen strawberry lemonade, so it’s about time to try something new,don’t you think? This frozen mango lemonade is so simple to make. It is an icy blend of fresh squeezed lemonade, frozen mango, and ice. That’s it!

I really do love mango. It’s a fun flavor that can be used in savory dishes, desserts, and drinks. I use to think it was only good in sweet foods like my mango sorbet but then I discovered Kimi’s mango chutney, which is what makes my tandoori chicken sandwich so tasty.

So, back to the lemonade…

The sweet mango and tart lemonade balance each other out to create a refreshing icy treat. Let’s just say it was enjoyed a few times over the past week, and I will be making it again in the very near future. I used my basic honey sweetened lemonade for this recipe but you could stevia sweetened lemonade. All three options make for a tasty lemonade and go well with the mango. However you make it, I’m sure it will be tasty!

Sweet coconut water, creamy coconut cream, and dark coffee are combined for a surprisingly delicious coffee drink that is refreshing!

I love hydrating drinks during the hot summer months. The problem with coffee is that the caffeine acts as a diuretic, so ends up not being the best beverage when trying to stay hydrated. This drink combines coffee with they very hydrating coconut water, which is why it’s not only delicious, but refreshing as well.

A couple notes on the ingredients:

Coffee:

My favorite coffee to use in this recipe is espresso. We use our stovetop espresso maker (I talk about it, and 3 other “plastic free” coffee making methods here), as we don’t have a fancy espresso maker. I like using espresso best as it allows you to use more of the coconut water per cup.
However, we’ve also tried it with double strength French Press (use the same amount of coffee grounds and only half the water) and, cold brew coffee as well. All work and are delicious.

Coconut Cream:

I’ve been avoiding the additives in many of the canned coconut milks. Thankfully, I found that (Amazon Affiliate link) Aroy-D Coconut Cream is really delicious, as well as additive-free.

1. In a large glass, stir together the warm coffee and coconut cream or milk (I add the coconut cream at this point so that it melts completely into the coffee.)
2. Fill the glass ¾ full of ice.
3. Pour coconut water to the top. Stir, and enjoy!

My favorite coffee to use in this recipe is espresso. We use our stovetop espresso maker (I talk about it, and three other “plastic free” coffee making methods here), as we don’t have a fancy espresso maker. I like using espresso best as it allows you to use more of the coconut water per cup. However, we’ve also tried it with double strength French Press (use the same amount of coffee grounds and only half the water) and, cold brew coffee as well. All work and are delicious.

This refreshing lavender lemon balm iced tea is not only delicious, but it helps melt away stress. It’s so simple to make and can be enjoyed hot or iced for the upcoming summer months. Tea brewed from your own garden herbs is highly satisfying, and wonderfully nourishing.

I first discovered lemon balm a little over a year ago. The snow had finally melted away from the garden area of our little rental home, and these bushy green plants began to pop up all over the place. After a little research I learned that lemon balm (part of the mint family) is a perennial herb known for its calming and stress relieving properties. One gentle touch of the leaves and an intoxicating aroma of lemon fills the air. The scent alone lifts my spirits!

Lemon balm has also been known to calm headaches, upset stomach, menstrual cramps, and insomnia to name a few. My husband and I have been on a recent journey to treat our adrenal fatigue and lemon balm is a wonderful herb to help calm the body and promote healing.

It is well know that lavender is also a natural stress reliever. The lovely scent from its leaves, and the variety of purple flowers it produces makes it one of the most beautiful herbs to grow in a garden. I have two different varieties in my garden, but the one I used for this recipe is English Lavender (lavandula angustifolia).

You could also dry the leaves and preserve them for making tea during the winter months. This is very easy to do with a dehydrator, or by hanging to air dry as well.

It’s good to take a few moments each day and rest. This tea, adorned with a fresh lavender flower, would be the perfect companion for seeking a stress-free summer.

Follow Me

Search

Please Read:

The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.